The present invention relates to disposable single-serving condiment pouches. In particular, it relates to a disposable single-serving condiment pouch having improved product capacity and dispensing characteristics, and a method for manufacturing such a disposable single-serving condiment pouch. Although the invention is advantageous for all flowable condiments, it is especially advantageous when used with higher-viscosity products, such as sour cream.
Condiments, including mustard, catsup, relish and the like are often packaged in single-serving hygenically-filled condiment pouches, particularly for use in the fast-food restaurant industry. Such pouches are rectangular in shape, with serrated edges to facilitate xe2x80x9ctearingxe2x80x9d the pouch open. As compared to bulk packaging (i.e., where the user spoons out the desired amount from a cup, bowl or the like) such pouches provide convenience to the user and improves cleanliness for the restaurant.
Although such pouches are commonplace, the pouches have significant problems in practice.
One problem is that the generally rectangular shape of the common prior art pouches is not conducive to neat and easy dispensing of the product. In particular, the shape of the package generally causes a user to hold the pouch in the middle (where product is contained) during the tearing-open operation. Because this places the product inside under some pressure during the tearing-open operation, the risk of spillage is increased.
Furthermore, the appearance of the product when it is dispensed onto the food is generally important to the user. That is, it is desirable for the product to make an attractive and neat xe2x80x9cbeadxe2x80x9d when it is dispensed onto the food, meeting the expectations of the user for the appearance of the product. It has been found that the shape of the torn-open discharge opening of prior art pouches tends to open in a manner that gives the bead of the product an uneven quality and undesirable xe2x80x9croundxe2x80x9d shape, like toothpaste. While this uneven and undesirable shape is of smaller importance for products where users have fewer expectations about a particular shape (such as, perhaps, relish) there are some products (notably, higher-viscosity products such as sour cream) where the user has definite expectations about how the product should xe2x80x9clookxe2x80x9d when dispensed onto the product. Prior art pouches are unable to provide the desirable bead shape for such a higher-viscosity product.
Another problem relates to manufacturing the pouches, in particular, present methods of manufacturing the pouches are unable to fill the pouches with a volume of product that is greater than about 0.10 cubic length units times the area of the product-containing portion in square length units. That is, if the product-containing portion has an area of 1.0 square inches, the volume of product in the product-containing portion cannot be greater than about 0.10 inches. This results in waste and an undesirable xe2x80x9cslackxe2x80x9d appearance to the pouch.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a condiment pouch that is less prone to unintended spillage during opening.
It is another object of the invention to provide a condiment pouch that makes a generally wider and flatter bead when the product is dispensed onto the food.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pouch that has a volume of product in the pouch greater than about 0.10 cubic length units times the area of the product-containing portion in square length units, so the pouch has a puffy appearance when filled, rather than a slack appearance.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing pouches that increases the xe2x80x9cpuffinessxe2x80x9d of the pouch such that the volume of product in the pouch is greater than about 0.10 cubic length units times the area of the product-containing portion in square length units, so the pouch has a puffy appearance when filled.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a disposable product dispensing pouch is provided having first and second generally rectanguloid plastic sheets having first, second, third and fourth distal corners and first and second inner respective opposed facing sides. The first and second sheets are affixed together on an affixing line forming a perimeter of a product-containing portion between the inner and outer opposed faces. The product-containing portion includes a generally trapezoidal main portion and a nozzle portion in permanent fluid communication with the main portion. The main portion has an area of being 70% and 90% of the area of the first and second plastic sheets and has portions extending to near the first, second and third distal corners of the sheets. The nozzle portion is oriented generally toward the fourth corner and has an area of between about 5% and 20% of the area of the main portion. The nozzle portion has a dispensing end closest to the fourth corner and the plastic sheets have a weakened portion near the dispensing end to facilitate tearing open the dispensing end transverse to a centerline through the nozzle and oriented toward the fourth corner. There are first and second generally trianguloid areas on either side of the nozzle and outside the perimeter of the product-containing portion and substantially not in fluid communication with the product-containing portion. The first generally trianguloid area has an area of between about 3% and 20% of the area of the plastic sheets forming the pouch and the second trianguloid area has an area of between about 1.5% and 10% of the area of the plastic sheets forming the pouch.